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Draft grades given to team's before the players have even stepped on the field are just for entertainment and it gives fans a chance to complain or rave about the job their team did based on projections and opinion. There were a lot of questions following last year's draft, the first with Bruce Allen in full GM control and new Head Coach Jay Gruden looking for players. The supposed theme of the draft was investing in the future, improving depth, and improving a special teams unit that was historically bad the year before.
Here are the 8 players the Redskins ended up drafting:
Mel Kiper's take:
Post-draft grade: C+
Summary: Robert Griffin III played in nine games, threw for 1,694 yards, four TDs and six INTs. I bring that up because in what turned into yet another tumultuous year at QB for the Redskins, RG III is a big factor in this draft grade, as the Redskins were again without a first-round pick, hopefully for the last time for a while. That Washington is still something of a mess at QB drags this grade down because they didn't pick until No. 47 overall, and it's a mixed bag after that.
Trent Murphy offered useful depth, and figures to be a part of the rotation going forward, though his ceiling is a question. Morgan Moses is still a question mark and ended the season on injured reserve. He has the potential to be a starting tackle, but we just don't know yet. Bashaud Breeland had some fabulous performances, but also often looked like a rookie CB and make his fair share of mistakes. He can be a good one if he can become more consistent. I thought Spencer Long was a big reach, and he didn't really play. Lache Seastrunk didn't make the team. All in all, not yet a group to get excited about given there were opportunities for rookies on this roster, and the QB situation doesn't help.
New grade: C-
Kiper lowered his grade from a C+ to a C-, giving the Redskins the worst grade in the NFL. The Redskins have struggled to identify and develop talent through the draft for a long time. They got a potential steal in the 4th Round with Bashaud Breeland, and he saw significant playing time this year due to injury. Trent Murphy was picked after the trade back with the Cowboys, and also saw more playing time than expected due to injury.
The pair of 3rd round offensive linemen, OT Morgan Moses and OG Spencer Long, are both projects that could not crack the lineup last season except for one start by Moses due to injury. Moses is recovering from a Lisfranc injury that could affect him going into next season. Long has potential and a new OL coach to work with, but for now is a big question mark, and like Kiper said, was considered a reach in the draft.
Ryan Grant(last year's Mason/Brennan Hype! Award winner) was praised in the offseason, but couldn't get many looks with the 2 WRs in front of him on the depth chart, and by the end of the season Santana Moss was getting more attention from QBs.
The rest of the draft was a wash, with Lache Seastrunk, Ted Bosler, and Zach Hocker not making a roster after being released, and only seeing minimal interest around the league(practice squad, futures deals).
It's obviously too early to judge this draft class, but that's what this article is about. What did you think about the Redskins 2014 draft class then and now?